Thousands of Mormon Helping Hands volunteers throughout Africa were busy on a Saturday in August cleaning, digging, weeding, filling potholes and mowing lawns — and that’s not all.
The annual day of service in Africa involved members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormon) and their neighbors who spent the day cleaning inside and outside of hospitals, police stations and radio stations, performing erosion control, clearing a path for people to get water, trimming flowers and removing cobwebs.
Service to many African communities meant shoveling out gutters filled with all sorts of garbage and waste. In fact, as Latter-day Saints were working, passers-by saw the success of the monumental effort and joined in to help.
| Temple Square is always beautiful in the springtime. Gardeners work to prepare the ground for General Conference. © 2012 Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved. | 1 / 2 |
In Ghana, Akolgo Ayamga, commander of the Kwesimintsim Police District, was appreciative of the work Mormon Helping Hands completed. “You have really lived up to the biblical teaching that cleanliness is next to godliness.”
In Teshie, a suburb of Accra in Ghana, the members cleared the entire police property of plant growth and debris. The police commander wanted to wear a Mormon Helping Hands yellow vest and have his picture taken with the workers. “It’s yours,” one Helping Hands organizer told him. “We’ll expect you pitching in with us next year.”
Public officials in other areas of Africa commented on the Church’s generosity and the time its members spent working and beautifying.
The Ghana News Agency published a news account of the work Latter-day Saints did in Ghana. Other news agencies wrote stories on the enthusiastic attitude of the Mormon Helping Hands volunteers.
Read the Church’s News and Events website on LDS.org for additional information.